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Everything Canadians need to know about 2025 income taxes: filing dates, CRA deadlines, tax credits, brackets, and what’s new this year.
Tax season is once again nigh. The Canada Revenue Agency’s deadline (for most of us) is fast approaching on April 30. Bookmark this page for easy access to key dates and deadlines, tax rates, tips, and links to help you prepare your 2025 personal income tax return. We will be updating it as new information becomes available and deadlines approach.
We also have answers from the experts you won’t find anywhere else, thanks to our back catalogue of Ask MoneySense columns. But first, let’s look at what’s different this year.
New bottom-bracket tax rate: As part of its platform in the August 28, 2025, federal election, the Liberal party promised to lower the tax rate on your first $57,375 of income to 14% from 15%. After the Liberals won, the government implemented the change as of July 1, 2025. As a result, the effective tax rate for 2025 splits the difference at 14.5%. Barring further rate changes, the rate on this bottom tax bracket for the 2026 tax year will be a flat 14%.
Don’t wait for a paper return: The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is discontinuing its practice of proactively sending paper returns to filers who have used them in the recent past. Last year just 7% of tax filers used paper returns, and the number shrinks a bit more every year. If you want to file a paper return, you can:
Alternatively, you can find out more about filing online at CRA’s tax software page. Make filing digitally easier with CRA’s Auto-fill my return service. Eligible low-income filers can also make use of the SimpleFile service or free tax clinics offered by not-for-profit organizations.
New Canada Disability Benefit: Canadian residents of working age certified to receive the Disability Tax Credit are now eligible to receive up to $200 per month based on household net income. The Canada Disability Benefit became available in June 2025, but if you enrol now, you will receive payments retroactive to that date.
No more Digital News Subscription Tax Credit: This tax credit worth up to $75 per year for subscriptions to Canadian news organizations has been discontinued.
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Find out when you can expect your T4, your last chance to contribute to your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), when to file your return and so much more. These are your 2025 income tax return deadlines.
| Tax action item | Deadline(s) |
|---|---|
| GST/HST for business owners | Find it listed on your GST34-2 form, based on your reporting period. |
| Tax installment dates for 2025 (self-employed, rental or investment income, etc.) | March 15, 2026 June 15, 2026 September 15, 2026 December 15, 2026 |
| Tax installment date for 2025 for self-employed in farming/fishing | December 31, 2026 |
| Deadline for employers to issue your T4 | March 2, 2026 |
| Last day to contribute to RRSPs for those aged 71 in 2025 | December 31, 2025 |
| Last day to open, contribute to and apply for grant-matching for an RDSP for 2025 | December 31, 2025 |
| Netfile opens for filing 2025 taxes | Expected to open February 23, 2026 (set by CRA) |
| Last day to contribute to RRSPs for 2025 for those up to 70 years of age | March 2, 2026 |
| Deadline to file your taxes (Canadians and non-residents, unless you and/or your spouse is self-employed) | April 30, 2026 |
| Deadline to pay outstanding taxes, regardless of filing date | April 30, 2026 |
| Deadline to file your tax return if you and/or your spouse are self-employed | June 15, 2026 |
| Deadline to file and pay taxes for someone who died, if they passed between January 1 and October 31, 2025 | April 30, 2026 |
| Deadline to file and pay taxes for someone who died, if they passed between November 1 and December 31, 2025 | 6 months after the date of death |
What happens if you miss the income tax deadline in Canada?
If you owe income tax in Canada you have to pay interest on the balance owning. You begin incurring interest payable the day after the deadline: May 1, 2026. You could owe 5% of your balance owing, plus 1% for each full month you don’t file. Missed three years of income tax returns? You could owe 10% on your balance owed, plus an additional 2% for each month between the due dates and when you file your returns.
Read more on tax deadlines:
Can you file multiple years of income taxes together in Canada?
Late filers: Get your back taxes sorted before year-end
Though the bottom line on your tax return often comes as a surprise, there are ways you can estimate your taxes owing or refund based on what you’ve already paid (found on your T4 slip from your employer or installments if you are self-employed) and your tax bracket. In fact, this information can help you determine when and how much to contribute to your RRSP or donate to charity and ultimately minimize the taxes you pay. Here are the federal tax brackets:
| Annual income (taxable) | Tax brackets | Tax rates | Maximum taxes per bracket | Maximum total tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to $57,375 | The first $57,375 | 14.5%* | $8,319.38 | $8,319.38 |
| $57,375 to $114,750 | The next $57,375 | 20.5% | $11,761.88 | $20,081.26 ($8,319.38 + $11,761.88) |
| $114,750 to $177,882 | The next $63,132 | 26% | $16,414.32 | $36,495.58 ($20,081.26 + $16,414.32) |
| $177,882 to $253,414 | The next $75,532 | 29% | $21,904.28 | $58,399.86 ($36,495.58 + $21,904.28) |
| Over $253,414 | Over $253,414 | 33% | N/A | N/A |
* Following through on an election promise, the Liberal government lowered the tax rate on the lowest bracket to 14% from 15% previously, effective July 1, 2025. The applicable rate for all of 2025 is the average of the two for each half of the year, or 14.5%.
Note that all Canadians are eligible for a tax credit known as the basic personal amount. For 2025, the basic personal amount is set at $16,129 (it rises every year to account for inflation). There is no income tax on your first $16,129 of income for the year, in other words.
Provinces and territories have their own income tax brackets. Look up the additional income tax you owe based on where your primary residence is located using MoneySense’s guide to tax brackets in Canada.
There are multiple ways to prepare and file your personal income tax return. You can do it yourself, either in digital form or on paper, you can use an online tax prep tool or software, or you can hire a bookkeeper or accountant to do it for you. Whatever method you choose, make sure you understand the process, your claims and whether you have a balance owing or will be receiving a refund.
If you haven’t done so already, sign up for the CRA’s My Account. This personalized portal keeps track of the returns you’ve already filed, notices of assessment, taxes owing, and upcoming deadlines. It also enables you to manage transfers of funds to and from the CRA. Use it to look up how much room you have to contribute to your RRSP or TFSA.
In addition, tax software platforms enable you, with your permission, to sync your T1 return with your CRA account page and populate it with information there, including all official documents for the current tax year—which can save you time and bother in preparing your taxes.
Read more about filing income taxes:
How to fill out a personal income tax return
How to file your taxes online in Canada
How to set up CRA direct deposit
Conventional employment income is relatively easy to track—and for the CRA to track you. Your employer(s) is required to send you a T4 slip in the first two months of the year that records your earnings, income tax paid at source, Employment Insurance (EI), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and other deductions.
You will likewise receive T-slips for income from government departments and savings accounts or investments held with major financial institutions. It’s up to you to report these other forms of income, as well as business or self-employment income and taxable gains from the sale of real estate and other assets.
Read more about taxes for business owners, self-employed, and investors:
Do you have to make quarterly tax remittances in Canada?
Capital gains tax in Canada, explained
How income from digital platforms is taxed in Canada
How is investment income taxed in Canada?
We get emails daily from Canadians asking about their particular tax situations, and we share those questions with our team of experts. If you have a question, email it to AskMoneySense.ca.
And while everyone’s tax situation is unique to them, there are always other Canadians who can relate. Check out some of our most popular Ask MoneySense columns about taxes:
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I just became a permanent resident of Canada on August 2024. I am filing my first tax return. I had about $4000 of income in Philippines in the first 7 months of 2024. Do I declare it and how? Thanks
Due to the large volume of comments we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond directly to each one. We invite you to email your question to [email protected], where it will be considered for a future response by one of our expert columnists. For personal advice, we suggest consulting with your financial institution or a qualified advisor.
Hello there
If I have T4 for year 2024 ,and my wife income is zero and I have 2 kids under 18 year old .how can calculate my 2024 tax. By myself
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